Electric switch.



J. F. MONNOT.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED IuLY I4, I9II.

1,155,364. Patented oct. 5, 1915.

"UNITED srarns Parnu Ormes. A

JOI-1N F. MONNOT, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

Application filed .Tuly 14, 1911.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN F. MoNNo'r, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Paris, France, have 1nvented a certain new and useful Electric Switch, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to automatic qu1ckbreak electric switches, and particularly to fluid-pressure-operated switches, and com prises various features of construction, combination and arrangement, as hereinafter set forth. The switch herein illustrated and described is particularly intended to be used to control electric heaters so as to maintain a predetermined temperature in a given space.

The object of my invention is to improve the construction of electric switches ,designed to be operated by fluid pressure, and to provide a switch which is simple, compact, reliable, and relatively inexpensive.

I will now proceed to describe my invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which certain embodiments of my invention are illustrated, and will then point out the novel features in claims.

In said drawings: Figure 1 shows a face view of the switch, Fig. 2 a transverse section thereof on the line m-- of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 a side view of the switch. Fig. 4L shows a fragmentary face view of an alternative form of switch, in which a diaphragm is substituted for the Bourdon tube.

Referring first to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, 1 designates a base of suitable material, upon which a switch arm or knife 2 is pivotally mounted. rI'he pivot pin 3 of this switch arm constitutes one of the terminals of the switch, and is provided with a clamping nut t whereby the end of an electric conductor may be secured in electric connection with the switch arm 2. At its free end, said switch arm 2 is adapted to engage with one or more electric terminal contact prices. In the drawings I have indicated one such terminal contact piece, 5, provided with spring contact tongues 6, between which the switch arm or knife 2 passes, when closing contact with contact piece 5. Obviously, there might be, Without invention, another similar and opposite contact piece to be engaged by the switch knife 2 when moved out of contact with contact piece 5; but the particular switch shown being a one-point Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 5, 1915.

Serial No. 638,471.

switch, only one contact piece 5 is shown. Such contact piece 5 is provided with a clamping device 7 adapted to hold thel end of an electric conductor in contact with contact piece 5,

In order to move the contact arm 2 into and out of contact with the tongue 6 of contact piece 5. I have provided, in the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, a Bourdon tube S, constituting a primary operating device, one end of which tube is secured to a iixed fitting 9 adapted to be connected to a tube thermostat or other means for applying variable fluid pressure to the Bourdon tube, the other end of this tube 3 being free, and closed, and having pivotally connected to it a link 10 screw-threaded near its other end and having mounted upon it correspondingly threaded curved nuts or heads 11 adapted to engage opposite ends of a sleeve 12 provided on a bracket 13, secured to a plate 14, preferably formed of insulating material. and secured to a swinging plate 15 located beneath arm 2 and constituting actuating means for said arm 2. Said nuts or heads 11 form abutments to engage the bracket 13 and move the plate 15, and thereby the switch arm 2, in one direct-ion or the other. There may be a considerable distance between these abutments, 11, and the ends of the sleeve 12, so as to provide a cer tain amount of play, so that the switch having been closed, for example, by the action of the Bourdon tube, said tube does not begin to open the switch again immediately upon a slight increase of the pressure actuating said tube but to the contrary, some little movement of the end of the Bourdon tube will occur before the opposite abutment engages the end of the sleeve 12 to move the switch knife 2 to open the switch. The extent of this play, and therefore the delicacy or responsiveness of the switch, may be varied b v screwing the abutments or nuts 11 back or forward on the screw; and also, the

point at which the Bourdon tube begins to art to open or to close the switch may be varied by adjustment of one or both of these abutments.

Bourdon tubes have, in themselves, considerable spring action; but such Iaction may be reinforced. particularly for the purpose of adjustment. b v an additional spring, 16, one end of which is secured to the Bourdon tube 8, preferably near the free end thereof,

the other end of said spring being secured to an adjustment screw 17 carried by a bracket 1S.

The plate 15 is provided, on one edge, with two curved recesses adapted to be engaged by a jockey roller 19 carried by a swinging arm 2O actuated by a spring 21, adjustable in action b v means of a screw Q2. This jockey roller acts, in part, to hold the swinging plate 15 in one position or the other until said plate is moved by a preponderating force exerted by the Bourdon tube. Plate 15, 'when raised from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the opposite position, opens the switch: the switch arm, 2, being connected to said plate 15 through a spring 23. But since the switch arm 2 is held by the spring tongues C, it is not until the plate 15 has been moved nearly to its upper position, that the spring Q3 acquires sufficient tension to pull the arm 2 from these spring tongues G; consequently once said switch arm starts to move, it breaks contact with the tongues G quickly, thereby avoiding arcing. This quick break is accelerated by the action of the jockey roller 19, which, as it enters the lower recess in the edge of the plate 15, by its spring act-ion cams or wedges said plate 15 upward; the Bourdon tube, which is arranged to be actuated, as hereafter described, by elastic fluid pressure, yielding to permit such movement, though if desired, such upward movement of the plate 15 may take place, without corresponding movement of the end of the Bourdon tube, play being provided between the heads 11 and bracket 13 to that end. Plate 15 is provided with a pin 21 which engages the switch arm 2 at the time of the rapid movement of the plate 15 induced by the jockey roller 19, so disengaging the switch arm from the spring tongue G if said arm has not already been disengaged from said tongue by theaction of the spring 23.

When the pressure to which the Bourdon tube is subjected decreases, after such an opening of the switch, said Bourdon tube recurves, by reason of the spring action of the tube itself reinforced by the action of the spring 16, the upper head 11 then engaging the bracket 13 and moving the plate 15 downward, the spring 23 during this movement holding the switch arm 2 away from contact with the spring tongues 6; but when. during this downward movement of plate 15, the jockey roller 19 passes from the lower recess in the edge of said plate 15 into the upper recess thereof, said roller forces the plate 15 down sharply, and a pin Q5 on said plate engages the switch arm 2 and forces it into engagement with the spring tongues G. The construction described therefore provides for quick opening and quick closing of the switch.

Then the switch arm 2 has been disengaged from the contact device G, as previously described, the spring 23 holds said switch arm Q in engagement with pin Q5, so that promptly upon the beginning of movement of switch actuating member 15 toward the closed-circuit position, said pin Q5 begins to move the switch arm 2 toward the closed circuit position; there being, therefore, no lost motion between plate 15 and the switch arm 2, during such motion toward closed-circuit position. For this reason the switch responds promptly to slight decrease in pressure in the Bourdon tube S, that is to say, to slight decrease in temperature in the hereinafter mentioned thermostat tube 2G, and circuit is closed by the switch upon a relatively slight decrease in pressure and temperature. The switch is forthis reason particularly applicable to the control of electric heaters, since after breaking the circuit of the heater, the switch will close such circuit again upon a very slight fall of temperature, and, by so startingthe heater into operation, tend to prevent the temperature from falling farther.

26 designates a thermostat tube such as may be connected to the Bourdon tube 8, through the fitting 9, to actuate the switch. Such thermostat 2 may be a tube containing air or some other gas, which air or gas will, by its expansion or contraction with changes of temperature, actuate the Bourdon tube; or, alternatively, and preferably, the thermostat tube may contain .some readily vaporizable liquid, vaporizing within the temperature limits between which the switch is to work. Various of these volatile liquids are known, such for example as ether, chloroform, methyl chlorid, and carbon tetraclilorid. The particular liquid used will depend upon the temperature limits between which the switch is to work, the liquid chosen being one the boiling or condensing temperature of which approximates the temperature at which the switch is to work. Such a liquid will evaporate rapidly once its boiling point is exceeded, and thereby will produce in the thermostat tube, and in the Bourdon tube, a relatively high temperature, causing the quick operation of the switch; and, on the other hand, when the temperature to which the thermostat tube is exposed falls below the condensing temperature of the vapor of such liquid, such vapor will condense, the liquid formed thereby greatly reducing the pressure in the thermostat tube and in the Bourdon tube, so causing the switch to act again,

Obviously a diaphragm might be used to actuate the switch, instead of the Bourdon tube; and Fig. 4 illustrates, moreor less diagrammatically, a switch similar in construction to the switch above described, except that a diaphragm 27 is employed in place of the Bourdon tube, vsaid diaphragm thermostatic member operating by direct.

expansion and contraction.

What I claim is l. An electric switch comprising in combination a movable switch member, a contact device with which said member is adapted to make and break contact, a movable actuating member for said switchv member, provided .with grooves, and with means adapted to move said switch member in one direction or the other when said actuating member is moved, a spring-actuated jockey arranged to engage one or another of said grooves and by wedge action to enforce rapid movement of said actuating member, and a yielding primary operating device adapted to yield to such movement of the actuating member, and means connecting same to said switchactuating member to move the latter.

2. An electric switch comprising in combination a movable switch member, a contact device with which said member is adapted to make and break contact, a movable actuating -member for said switch member, provided with grooves'fand with means adapted to positively engage said switch member to move same in one direction or the other when said actuating member is moved, a spring-actuated jockey arranged to engage one or another of said grooves and by wedge action to enforce rapid movement of said actuating member, and a yielding primary operating device arranged to be actuated by "elastic fluid pressure, and means connecting same to said switch-actuating member to lnove the latter,

3. An electric switchV comprising in combination a p ivoted switch member, acontact device with which said member is -adapted to make-and break contact, a movable actuating member for said switch .member, primary operating means connected to said switch-actuating member to move the latter, spring means actinsrupon said actuating member to enforce rapid movement thereof, said actuating member provided with means adapted to positively engage said switch member to move same, and a spring connecting said actuating .member to said switch member, and adapted to withdraw said switchmember quickly from said contact device.

4. An electric switch comprising in combination a movable switch member, a contact device with which said member is adapted to make and break contact, a movable actuating member for said switch member, primary operating means, means connecting the latter to said switch-actuating member comprising a link and adjustable abutments thereon adapted to engage opposite sides of a portion of said actuating ber, and means acting upon saidtactuating member and adapted to enforce rapid movement thereof.

6. An electric switch comprising in combination a movable switch member, a contactl device with which said member is adapted to make and break contact, a movable .actuating member for said switch member, provided with grooves and Awith engaging means adapted to. move said switch member positively from its closed circuit position to an open circuit position, a springactuated jockey arranged to engage one or another of said grooves, and by wedge action on a side of one such .groove to enforce rapid movement of said actuating member toward the open circuit position, and an automatic yielding primary operating device and means connecting same to said switchac'tuating member to move the latter, the said engaging means of said switch actuating memberand the said groove with which said jockey has the reciting wedge action being so related relatively that when the switch member vhas nearly broken contact with its contact device, through actuation of said switch memberby the engaging means of the actuating member. said jockey begins its wedge-action to enforce rapid breaking of contact.

7. An electric switch comprising in combination a movable switch member, a contact device with which said member is adapted' to make and break contact, a movable actuating member for said switch member, provided with grooves and with engaging means adapted to .move said switch member positively from its open circuit po sition to a closed circuit position, a springactuated jockey arranged to engage one or another of said grooves, and by wedgeaction on a side of one such groove to enforce rapid movement of said actuating member toward the closed circuit position, and an automatic yielding primary operating device and means connecting saine to latter, the said engaging means of said switch-actuating member and the said groove with which said jockey has the re cited wedge action being so related rela-l tively that when the switch member has nearly closed contact with its contact device, through actuation of said switch member by the engaging means of the actuat ing member, said jockey begins its wedgeaction to enforce rapid closing of contact.

8. An electric switch comprising in combination a movable switch member, a contact device with which'said member is adapted to make and break contact, and automatic operating means for said switch member comprising an automatic primary operating device and means operated thereby comprising a movable actuating member having engaging means for positively moving said switch member from its open circuit to its closed circuit position, and means for holding said switch member against such engaging means when said switch member is in open position, whereby when said primary operating means starts to close the switch such closing action takes place with* out lost motion between said engaging means and switch member.

9. An electric switch comprising in combination a movable switch member, a contact device with which said member is adapted to make and break contact, and automatic operating means for, said switch member comprising an automatic primary operating device and means for communicating motion therefrom to said switch member providing lost'motion during .operation of said primary operating device in the direction of opening-of the switch, but providing less lost motion during operation of such primary operative device in the direc tion of closing of the switch.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the'presence of two subscrib ing witnesses.

JOHN F. MONNOT. Witnesses:

DEAN B. MASON, H. C. COXE. 

